Health risk assessment and source tracking of pollutants emitted from industrial complexes affecting local residents in Korea

In Dalseong-gun, Daegu, Republic of Korea, industrial complexes located near residential areas pose a potential risk of human exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study evaluated the health risks and emission source characteristics of VOCs using fenceline monitoring with passive samplers during winter and spring. A total of 37 VOCs were measured in industrial and nearby residential areas, and 13 compounds with established toxicity values were selected for probabilistic risk assessment using Monte Carlo simulations across seven age groups. Methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) showed the highest concentrations in metal processing, whereas toluene was predominant in paper manufacturing. Infants (0–2 years) and the elderly (65 + years) were identified as the most vulnerable populations. Non-carcinogenic risks from m,p-xylene and o-xylene exceeded reference levels by 0.01% in infants, and carcinogenic risks from chloroform and benzene surpassed the lifetime risk threshold (1 × 10^–6) across age groups. Source tracking using a chemical mass balance (CMB) model demonstrated strong explanatory power (R² = 0.976), indicating that one paper manufacturing plant contributed over 90% of the VOCs in most residential areas. Cosine similarity analysis confirmed high similarity between residential sites and emission sources, supporting the CMB results. Residents expressed concerns about the potential health effects of nearby industrial emissions. This study provides scientific evidence of VOC-related health risks and highlights the major emission sources, providing a basis for targeted mitigation strategies to reduce exposure and protect public health in surrounding communities.